Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Beer in Bangalore
The beer selection in India is pitiful.
There, I've said it. Some of you may not need to read any further.
But the selection is widening somewhat. Two years ago, it was very rare to see any imported beers except at the 5-star hotels. Now many bars carry an occasional Heineken or Corona. The latest entrant to the marketplace in Bangalore is Budweiser.
Beer connoisseurs will re-read that last paragraph and laugh. Heineken, Corona and Budweiser. That is not exactly a high-quality line-up. Matching that with the usual selection of Kingfisher and Fosters (India-brewed no less), and you have a beer list that runs the gamut from yellow to yellow. That is to say, very little variation. Sure, they taste different from each other, but they're all basically boring pilsners. And each has an aftertaste that you get tired of. Some (particularly Kingfisher) have a reputation for additives that cause hangovers.
I have yet to try the urban myth test for glycerin in Kingfisher where you turn a bottle upside down in water and see the glycerin transfer to the water side.
There are other beers available, but they are marketed like the malt-liquors in America. They "work every time". They'll get you hammered for the lowest cost.
Most recently, however, there is a stout on the market. It's called Haywards' Black.
And it's not bad. It's certainly no Guinness, but it is a welcome addition. It's made by Haywards, and their normal beers are not all that great, but with the addition of some black malt, they take on a new character.
In my house right now, however, there is a small stash of Westmalle, Achel, Duvel, Rochefort, Chimay, and Kwak. No, I'm not sharing. This is worth more than gold in India...and I'm saving it for a day when I need it.
Thanks to my friends in Belgium for this.
There, I've said it. Some of you may not need to read any further.
But the selection is widening somewhat. Two years ago, it was very rare to see any imported beers except at the 5-star hotels. Now many bars carry an occasional Heineken or Corona. The latest entrant to the marketplace in Bangalore is Budweiser.
Beer connoisseurs will re-read that last paragraph and laugh. Heineken, Corona and Budweiser. That is not exactly a high-quality line-up. Matching that with the usual selection of Kingfisher and Fosters (India-brewed no less), and you have a beer list that runs the gamut from yellow to yellow. That is to say, very little variation. Sure, they taste different from each other, but they're all basically boring pilsners. And each has an aftertaste that you get tired of. Some (particularly Kingfisher) have a reputation for additives that cause hangovers.
I have yet to try the urban myth test for glycerin in Kingfisher where you turn a bottle upside down in water and see the glycerin transfer to the water side.
There are other beers available, but they are marketed like the malt-liquors in America. They "work every time". They'll get you hammered for the lowest cost.
Most recently, however, there is a stout on the market. It's called Haywards' Black.
And it's not bad. It's certainly no Guinness, but it is a welcome addition. It's made by Haywards, and their normal beers are not all that great, but with the addition of some black malt, they take on a new character.
In my house right now, however, there is a small stash of Westmalle, Achel, Duvel, Rochefort, Chimay, and Kwak. No, I'm not sharing. This is worth more than gold in India...and I'm saving it for a day when I need it.
Thanks to my friends in Belgium for this.
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